The latest list of failing public schools in Louisiana includes the fewest in Jefferson Parish since the state Department of Education began grading them more than a decade ago, a result that some educators are pointing to as a sign of progress. The reasons are mixed however: Some previously failing schools improved enough to escape the list, some benefited from a state change in the grading formula and some sub-par schools have been closed for good.

As recently as 2010, Jefferson had 18 failing schools. The latest list includes just four, with only one of them -- Woodmere Elementary in Harvey - being a conventional school. The other three are alternative schools, where students who misbehave in their regular school are sent for a few months.

The state graded schools this year on a scale from 0 to 150, instead of to 200. And it no longer automatically awards points to schools for students whose LEAP and iLEAP test scores were considered "approaching basic," the second lowest of five categories. But the new formula does give schools bonus points for individual "approaching basic" students who have made progress or scored higher than expected.

In addition, this year's School Performance Scores took high school student ACT scores into account.

"When we made those changes, one of our goals was to align all high school systems, which we thought had been inflated, to more rigorous standards," Education Superintendent John White said. "In terms of the F schools, I think what you saw is a lot of schools that were very close to the line that got over the line this year."

Woodmere has been rated an F for three years in a row. If it doesn't pull up its grade in the upcoming academic year, it may be subject to state takeover.

Jefferson administrators said they are optimistic about the new ways in which it is going to tackle the problems at Woodmere. They have said that it will include having Woodmere as part of its new Turnaround school network, part of which will be funded by a recently received $1.2 million grant from the state. The system has also removed the principal who had served at Woodmere for the past two years and put a new leader in place.

"We've been very successful in transforming the majority of our low-performing schools in the district, and Woodmere's been an exceptional challenge," Jefferson Superintendent James Meza said. "We can definitely make a difference. It's going to take hard work, but I think we can do it."

Meladie Munch, president of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers, said the school system's falling number of failing schools should be taken with a grain of salt. Of the 18 failing schools from 2010, the school board has closed or combined seven.

"It's not that we turned those schools around. We closed them and dispersed those children to other schools," Munch said. "Whether or not you track those children's progress at the new schools is a different issue.

"It wasn't like we really solved the problem. We just got rid of the problem and dispersed the kids."

As for Jefferson's three failing alternative schools -- John H. Martyn Sr. Alternative in Old Jefferson, Jefferson Chamber Foundation Academy in Harvey and Westbank Community School in Marrero -- Meza said the school system will consider combining their programs into other, larger schools. The district made a similar decision last year when it combined two alternative schools into high schools. The former Ralph J. Bunche Accelerated Academy is now a program at Bonnabel High School, and St. Ville Academy became a program at John Ehret High School.

Parents were notified last week if their children are attending a failing school. That gives them the opportunity to transfer their students before the beginning of the 2013-14 academic year.